Pool already in use! Has this happened to you when trying a hospital waterbirth?

[BumblBeee]

Just wondering how often this happens? I am a bit of a pessimist!

Our local hospital only has one, and I was worried about this but apparently only 5% of people want to use it! It was in use when I first called in labour, but was free by the time I was far enough along to get into a birthing room. In the end I didn't fancy it, even though I had my heart set on it before I went into labour

Can you ask your midwife how many people want to use it?

I was concerned about that too, as the hospital only had one waterbirth room. As it happens, the first time I delivered, I had that room with no problem, and the midwives were actually really keen for me to use it (as most women don't). But I had to get out after a couple of hours anyway as my labour had stopped progressing.

The second time I delivered the room was free but the unit was really busy and there weren't enough midwives available - the policy was that if you were in the pool then you couldn't be left on your own at all. To be honest, as it happens I was actually glad that I didn't go in the water, as the labour was slow too, and I was able to hang off DH in a supported squat on dry land.

I think my local hospital has 1 proper pool room and some inflatable pools they can use in other rooms.

In the labour ward my hospital has one birth pool, I could've used it but my labour was progressing too quickly to get it filled. They also have a birth centre with two pools & wetrooms for the rooms without a pool.

I have heard though that some midwives will tell you its in use even though it isn't just because they either don't want you to use it or they can't be bothered! So I would double check what the policy is at your hospital & make sure they'll be honest with you.

If you're set on a waterbirth, is a birth centre an option for you? Or hiring/buying your own & using it at home?

When I had DD 7 years ago, I wanted to use the pool but there was someone in it already. No idea if they have any more now than the one they did then.

Reading back, I suppose what I want to say is that even though I think that waterbirth is A Good Thing, it's still very possible to have a calm natural delivery on dry land, so please don't worry.

I was basically told they were too busy, forget it, when I asked about using the birth pool at our local hospital (this was on the maternity ward / labour suite tour, btw, not when actually in labour). There would have been no chance anyway as I ended up with PE and on the consultant-led end of things. This time I've arranged a home birth with my own pool.

Yes. In fact DD was born 20 mins after I got there so pointless anyway. I'd still have loved to have at least one waterbirth though.

We were warned that even if the pool wasn't in use the room may be - they had 2 "home from home" rooms on the labour ward and the pool was in one of them.

Avoided the issue by having a pool at home - DD wound up being a land birth as she was breech, but I'd plan a pool again for any future DCs.

Take your own with you. I did both times. Make sure they know in advance that you will be doing this as you will need a bit more room and good water availability. Good luck! Have what you want.

I'd check with them before planning to take your own pool in - we asked if that was possible and were told we couldn't (various reasons including room size and floor strength - not sure I believe that one...)

That sounds like a poor excuse Tangle. Sorry you couldn't do it...takes away some of your choices which makes me mad.

I am a VBAC so am only reluctantly going to hospital as I can not afford a private midwife. I used a pool for most of my last labour and the idea of not having one this time around makes me very anxious.

The SOM is happy for me to use the pool which is great but I am anxious that the facility will be in used and in my vulnerable position be talked into drugs or something else I don't want.

They don't seem to own any TENS machines oddly enough but this is a point for another thread!

Thanks everyone who replied, I appreciate it.

xxxxx

I wanted a waterbirth when I was pg, unfortunately it was busy when I got admitted so they popped me in the bath instead (lady in the poool was in later stages of labour so the wait wasn't aoing to be long, but had to keep my legs crossed to some extent!!) Anyway, by the time I was ready to go full throttle it was free and ready so they wheeled me down and popped me in pool. Was the beat experience of my life and I'd do it again an a heartbeat

best not beat! grr

BumblBeee - would you rather have a homebirth? Your PCT's policy may be presented as saying you can't have a home VBAC, but if that's what you want to do they can't stop you. There are a lot of women on the homebirthUK mail group that have had a home VBAC with the NHS, and they're a pretty supportive lot.

I'm not saying you should go for a homebirth by any stretch, but you do sound a bit unhappy about going to hospital - if you're not sure you want to go then have a good look around the homebirth website (there's a page dedicated to VBAC's under "you can't have a homebirth because..." and join the mailgroup I linked to above.

(or ignore everything I've just said if you're actually quite accepting of the fact)

nnibnabs: that is encouraging!!!

Tangle: The head midwife in my catchment area was really unsupportive of homebirth and negative and the local midwifes I met were not that good (enthusiastic, reliable etc). Bar one who is a man and fantastic. Sadly his colleagues did not seem to be on his level.

Anyway after this experience I booked myself into the best of my local hospitals. They actually have a great HB team but I am outside their area.

That's a pain . How far along are you?

Sadly a lot of PCTs are not initially supportive of HB and many women have to fight harder than they should to get them - on the plus side, if they do fight they often wind up with a remarkably good experience and the MWs suddenly become much more +ve (one theory is they start out negative because they know their management are not supportive - if the management get reminded that they have are obliged to provide a homebirth service, then the MWs are allowed to do their jobs more fully). This is another issue that the homebirthUK mailgroup have a (sadly) large amount of experience with, and also an area where AIMS can be supportive.

Its also worth taking to IMs - many will do payment plans and/or take payment in kind (mine was desperate for a decorator). You don't loose anything by asking.

Fingers crossed things go well for you, wherever you wind up

The other day the woman I was helping midwife look after wanted a waterbirth,(we were in a room with a pool in) but the midwife said 'no, I don't do waterbirths' which left me a bit as you don't need to 'do' anything at a waterbirth.
The unit was busy so there weren't any other midwives who could have swapped with.
So it's not only the availability of the pool that could be a problem.
I hope you do get your waterbirth!

When I was having my Ds 10+ years ago, I took my own pool in and laboured long in it. In the end I had to have forceps delivery due to Ds getting stuck.
After everything was over, my midwife told me that I was her first ever water birth/labour. I'm really glad she didn't say 'I don't do waterbirths'. Think I'd have to have said 'you'd better leave then as I don't do dry land labour and birth'. I'm stubborn though.

Yes I had dd 7 years ago at Guys and the pool was in use. They let me sit in a rather grotty bath for a while.

Thanks for the recent messages. I am 36 weeks.

It is tempting to hire private midwives but I am in so much debt already :-0

I worry that it will get me in trouble. Apparently they let you do VBAC at C Flint's birth centre.

It is tempting but am a bit worried about the money.